The average number of non-surgical procedures is up 13 percent compared to 2018. In fact, 85 percent of the total number of procedures performed by AAFPRS members is now minimally invasive non-surgical procedures with skin treatments (up 39 percent), fillers (up 13 percent), and Neurotoxins/Botox (up 12 percent) topping the list. The Botox/Neurotoxins category has seen the largest growth of all procedures with a 50 percent jump compared to 2013, the survey showed.

The most common surgical procedures performed by AAFPRS members in 2019 were rhinoplasty, facelifts (including partial facelifts), and blepharoplasty). The number of facelifts performed in 2019 increased by 3 percent last year while forehead lifts increased 6 percent in 2019 (from 13 percent in 2018 to 19 percent in 2019).

The Power of the Selfie Increases by 15%

Selfie-awareness continues to influence consumer behavior at a rapidly growing pace. In 2019, a full 72 percent of AAFPRS members report seeing patients seeking cosmetic procedures to look better for their selfies - up 15 percent from 2018!

People still care about their profile pics, too. AAFPRS members report that in 2019 more patients were seeking cosmetic procedures due to dissatisfaction with their profile images - a full 11 percent increase compared to 2018.

“Our annual statistics continue to show significant increases in the social media category,” says Nashville.-based facial plastic surgeon Mary Lynn Moran, MD, president of the AAFPRS, in a news release. “Clearly social media remains a huge incentive to have some work done with even more surgeons than last year reporting that patients are seeking cosmetic procedures to look better in selfies, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook Live and other social channels.”

“Thanks to well-documented lifestyles, millennials certainly know the power of social media and their image. And with many treatments and new techniques available that offer subtle yet effective outcomes, this younger generation now indulges in having some facial tweaks and tune-ups at their facial plastic surgeon’s practice,” adds Dr. Moran.

Millennials Take Prevention Seriously

AAFPRS members note that there is more emphasis on early care or “prejuvenation,” a term coined by the AAFPRS in 2016. Year after year more patients are having minimally invasive procedures as preventive measures, to maintain a youthful appearance and slow the aging process before it starts. In fact, 73 percent of AAFPRS members believe there will be a greater emphasis on earlier maintenance for patients starting in their 20s-30s, to forestall bigger procedures and surgery for longer.

In addition, in 2019, 74 percent of facial plastic surgeons report an increase in minimally invasive procedures (neurotoxins, fillers, skin treatments) in patients under age 30. In fact, this year’s survey reveals a 32 percent increase in this category since 2016 (56 percent to 74 percent, respectively).

Celebrity Power – Brad Pitt and the Kardashian-Jenner Effect

Celebrities continue to influence facial plastic surgery requests. More than three-fourths of AAFPRS members (84 percent) agree that celebrities impact patients’ desire for cosmetic procedures. This number is up 6 percent from 2018, with a 21 percent increase versus 2016. The trend of patients requesting the same procedure that celebrities are having done also increased 4 percent compared to 2018.

AAFPRS members believe makeup billionaire Kylie Jenner and reality star Kim Kardashian are the celebrities who most influenced cosmetic surgery requests for women, while actors Brad Pitt and Bradley Cooper are the most influential male celebrities.

Trust Your Face to a Facial Plastic Surgeon

According to AAFPRS members, a patient’s top concern when deciding to undergo facial plastic surgery in 2019 was finding the right doctor (33 percent) to perform a procedure. A natural result is also paramount. According to 29 percent of members, “looking unnatural” is another top concern for patients considering cosmetic enhancements.

“Finding the right physician to perform any procedure should be a patient’s first priority,” says Steve Jurich, CEO and Executive Vice President of the AAFPRS. “Today’s patients are very educated and research is paramount. Make sure the physician is qualified, experienced, and board-certified in the procedure that you are considering. If you are seeking a surgical procedure on the face, the AAFPRS always recommends that you select a surgeon who trained specifically in procedures of the face, head, and neck, such as those certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery for example.”

About the Survey

The 2019 AAFPRS annual member survey was conducted in December 2019 by ACUPOLL PRECISION RESEARCH through an online survey from a select group of the organization’s 2,200 members.

Modern Aesthetics® is the source for expert advice on patient care and practice development for cosmetic surgeons. With content by and for clinicians, each edition offers unique perspective and insight regarding the latest developments in aesthetics–from skin care to advanced procedures–and strategies for clinicians to successfully incorporate them into practice.